'' Kanon'' is a

visual novel A , often abbreviated as VN, is a form of digital semi-interactive fiction. Visual novels are often associated with and used in the medium of video games, but are not always labeled as such themselves. They combine a textual narrative with sta ...

developed by

Key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...

and published by

VisualArt's , formerly and previously spelled in English as VisualArt's, is a Japanese publishing company which specializes in publishing and distributing visual novels for a large list of game developers. Visual Arts has developed game engines their brands ...

in 1999. The story follows Yuichi Aizawa, who has returned to the town where seven years ago he would spend his school vacations, but has forgotten many of the details regarding his previous visits. Over the course of the series, Yuichi slowly regains these memories as he meets new friends and is reacquainted with others from his past. It was adapted by

Toei Animation () is a Japanese animation studio primarily controlled by its namesake Toei Company. It has produced numerous series, including ''Sally the Witch,'' ''GeGeGe no Kitarō,'' ''Mazinger Z'', ''Galaxy Express 999'', ''Cutie Honey'', ''Dr. Slump'', ' ...

into a 13-episode

anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...

television series broadcast in 2002 along with an accompanying

original video animation , abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...

episode released in 2003, both directed by Takamichi Itō with music direction by Hiroyuki Kōzu.

Kyoto Animation , often abbreviated , is a Japanese animation studio and light novel publisher located in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. Founded in 1985 by Yoko and Hideaki Hatta, it has produced anime works including '' The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya'' (2006), '' ...

also adapted it into a 24-episode anime television series broadcast between 2006 and 2007 directed by

Tatsuya Ishihara is a Japanese animator, television and film director. Working for Kyoto Animation, he directed ''The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya'', ''Clannad'', ''Nichijou'', ''Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions'' and ''Sound! Euphonium''. Early life and educ ...

with music direction by

Shinji Orito is a Japanese musical composer originally from Hyōgo, Japan working for the visual novel brand Key under VisualArt's. Before forming Key, Orito worked for another software company named Leaf where he contributed to four games. After leaving Lea ...

. The discography of ''Kanon'' and its anime adaptations consists of one

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

, three

singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...

, three

soundtracks A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of ...

, and three

remix album A remix album is an album consisting of remixes or rerecorded versions of an artist's earlier released material. The first act who employed the format was American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (''Aerial Pandemonium Ballet'', 1971). As of 2007 ...

s. The core of the discography is the three original soundtrack albums. The visual novel's soundtrack, which was also used for the second anime series, was produced by

Key Sounds Label Key Sounds Label is a Japanese independent record label formed in 2001 as a brand of the publishing company VisualArt's. Key Sounds Label was formed to catalog and release music related to visual novels produced by the brand Key, also under Visu ...

and released in 2002. The music on the soundtrack was composed and arranged by

Jun Maeda is a Japanese writer and co-founder of the visual novel brand Key under Visual Arts. He is considered a pioneer of nakige visual novels, and has mainly contributed as a scenario writer, lyricist, and musical composer for the games the company pr ...

, Shinji Orito and

OdiakeS OdiakeS (born March 22) is a Japanese composer from Tokyo, Japan who has worked for a variety of visual novel companies. His first work was on the game '' One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e'' under Tactics. When the staff of ''One'' left Tactics to create the ...

. Two soundtracks were released for the first anime series in 2002 produced by

Movic is a Japanese company which specializes in the publication of trading cards, figures, CDs, and other general media related to the anime industry. Movic is a part of the Animate group. Anime involved in *'' Ah! My Goddess: The Movie'': Producti ...

. The music on the anime soundtracks was composed and arranged by Hiroyuki Kōzu, Kōji Ueno, and Shinji Orito. Two remix albums were released for the visual novel in 1999 and 2003, and a remix album was released for the first anime series in 2003. A compilation album for the visual novel featuring previously released remixes was released in 2001. Three singles were released, one each for the visual novel and both anime series, covering the opening and endings themes of each media type.

Albums

''Anemoscope''

''Anemoscope'' is an

arrange Arrange is a mythological figure from the Australian aboriginal creation myth of the Alyawarre people for Karlu Karlu. In the myth, the figure Arrange, who is also referred to as the devil man, comes from Ayleparrarntenhe. Arrange was making a ...

album released by

for the ''Kanon'' visual novel, and was packaged with the first edition of the ''Kanon'' visual novel on June 4, 1999. Ten of the twelve tracks on the album are arrange versions of

background music Background music (British English: piped music) is a mode of musical performance in which the music is not intended to be a primary focus of potential listeners, but its content, character, and volume level are deliberately chosen to affect behav ...

featured in the visual novel, with the last two being the original versions of the game's two main theme songs "Last regrets" and "Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho" sung by Ayana. The ten tracks were arranged by

Magome Togoshi is a Japanese video game composer for visual novel studios. He began work as a music arranger in 1999, where he started working for the visual novel studio Key under VisualArt's to produce music for '' Kanon''. Between then and 2006, Togoshi compo ...

, and Kazuya Takase of

I've Sound I've Sound, or simply called , is a Japanese techno/trance music production group based in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Led by Kazuya Takase, it features the talents of seasoned "sound creators" and many different vocalists, known as to their fa ...

''Recollections''

''Recollections'' is a

best Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation ...

album for the ''Kanon'' visual novel, and was first released on December 29, 2001 at Comiket 61 in Japan by

bearing the catalog number ''KSLA-0003'', and was widely distributed on November 29, 2002. The album contains one disc with thirteen tracks which primarily takes tracks from the first two albums released for the ''Kanon'' visual novel, ''Anemoscope'' and "Last regrets/Place of wind which arrives"; seven are from the former, and three are from the latter. The album also contains three new arrangements of songs featured in the ''Kanon'' visual novel: two

tracks, and a remix of the game's opening theme "Last regrets" as an acoustic version sung by

Lia Lia is a feminine given name. In the Spanish-speaking world, it is accented Lía. In America, the name may be a variant of Leah or Lea. Lia may be a diminutive of various names including Julia, Cecilia, Amelia, Talia, Cornelia, Ophelia, Rosal ...

. The tracks on the album were arranged by

, and Ryō Okabe.

''Kanon Original Soundtrack''

The ''Kanon Original Soundtrack'', from the visual novel ''Kanon'', was first released on October 25, 2002 in Japan by

bearing the catalog number ''KSLA-0006''. The soundtrack contains one disc totaling twenty-four songs composed,

arranged In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchest ...

, and produced by

, and Kazuya Takase of

. Ayana provides vocals for two songs, "Last regrets" and "Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho". The first half of the last track is the short version of "Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho", and after a lengthy pause a

hidden track In the field of recorded music, a hidden track (sometimes called a ghost track, secret track or unlisted track) is a song or a piece of audio that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, LP record, or other recorded medium, in such a way as t ...

of an arrange version of "Yuki no Shōjo" plays which was originally featured in the album ''Anemoscope''.

''Re-feel''

''Re-feel'' is a

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

album with songs taken from the '' Kanon'' and ''Air'' visual novels and arranged into piano versions. It was first released on December 28, 2003 at Comiket 65 in Japan by

bearing the catalog number ''KSLA-0010''. The album contains one disc with ten tracks; the first five songs are from ''Kanon'' while the last five are from ''Air''. With the exception of tracks two and four which are arranged by

Riya Riya is an feminine given name. Notable people with the name include: * Riya, Japanese singer * Riya Bamniyal, Indian actress * Riya Deepsi, Indian actress and model *Riya Sen (born 1981), Indian actress *Riya Suman Riya Suman is an Indian a ...

Eufonius Eufonius is a Japanese progressive pop rock music group which debuted on October 11, 2003 with the release of their first album ''Eufonius'' which was also an independent release. The band has produced songs for various anime and video games, suc ...

, all the tracks are arranged by Ryō Mizutsuki, who is credited as Kiyo on the album.

''TV Animation Edition Kanon Soundtrack Volume 1''

''TV Animation Edition Kanon Soundtrack Volume 1'' is the first original soundtrack released for the first ''Kanon'' anime series and was released on May 5, 2002 in Japan by

bearing the catalog number ''MACM-1155''. The soundtrack contains one disc totaling thirty-one songs composed,

, and produced by

, Kōji Ueno, and Hiroyuki Kōzu. Miho Fujiwara provides vocals for two songs, "Florescence" and "Flower". Some of the tracks are new arrangements of music featured in the ''Kanon'' visual novel. The first edition release of the soundtrack came in a tall case, the same type for a

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...

. All songs arranged by Hiroyuki Kōzu.

''TV Animation Edition Kanon Soundtrack Volume 2''

''TV Animation Version Kanon Soundtrack Volume 2'' is the second original soundtrack released for the first ''Kanon'' anime series and was released on July 5, 2002 in Japan by

bearing the catalog number ''MACM-1156''. The soundtrack contains two discs totaling fifty-five songs composed,

, and produced by

''Orgel de Kiku Sakuhin Shū''

is an

album released for the first ''Kanon'' anime series which went on sale on July 25, 2003 in Japan by

bearing the catalog number ''MACM-1167''. The album contains one disc with fifteen tracks of arranged versions of

featured in the first ''Kanon'' anime which includes arrangements consisting of music boxes, pianos, harps, flutes, acoustic guitar, and other string instruments. All the tracks were composed by either Kōji Ueno, Hiroyuki Kōzu, or Masato Kamato, and arranged by Minami Nozaki.

Singles

Last regrets / Place of wind which arrives

"Last regrets / is a

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

for the ''Kanon'' visual novel first released as a limited edition on November 23, 1999, but was also sold at Comiket 57 on December 24, 1999. The single contains seven tracks which includes original and instrumental versions of the game's two theme songs "Last regrets" and "Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho", and three

versions of

featured in the visual novel. The first half of the last track is the instrumental version of "Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho", and after a lengthy pause a

of a male vocal version of "Last regrets" plays sung by Kazuya Takase of

. Other produces of the single include

, and

, with Ayana providing vocals for the original versions of the game's two theme songs.

Florescence / Flower

"Florescence / Flower" is

by the

J-pop J-pop ( ja, ジェイポップ, ''jeipoppu''; often stylized as J-POP; an abbreviated form of "Japanese popular music"), natively also known simply as , is the name for a form of popular music that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1 ...

artist Miho Fujiwara first released in Japan on June 7, 2002 by

in Japan bearing the catalog number ''MACM-1157''. The single was first released as a limited edition version containing two more tracks than the regular edition. The first is an instrumental version of "Flower" with background vocals by Miho Fujiwara, and the second is a

track for Akiko Minase not featured in the first ''Kanon'' anime series by

. The songs "Florescence" and "Flower" of the single were featured as the opening and ending theme songs of the first ''Kanon'' anime respectively. All songs arranged by Hiroyuki Kōzu.

Last regrets / Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho

"Last regrets / Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho" is a

released in commemoration of the ''Kanon''

. It was first released on December 28, 2006 in Japan by

bearing the catalog number ''KSLA-0026''. The single contains original, short, and

versions of ''Kanon''s two theme songs "Last regrets" and "Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho" sung by Ayana. The tracks are composed, arranged, and produced by

, Kazuya Takase of

, and Manack.

Charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanon Anime soundtracks

Soundtracks A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of ...

Key Sounds Label Video game soundtracks